All banks charge a fee, starting at around $25, to stop a payment, and most charge a renewal fee for the same amount.

“For some people, it may be cheaper for you to close the account,” Schlesinger said.

In Evans’ case, TD Bank sent her a confirmation of her stop-payment, including an “expire date,” but she said she didn’t realize what it was referring to. Eventually, the bank refunded her $849 as a courtesy.

“Whenever you do anything with a bank, you need to read the fine print and understand what you’re getting into,” said Allison Ross of BankRate.com.

Experts warn that scam artists are catching on to the expiration dates and redepositing checks, so it’s important to renew those cancellations immediately.